Washing machine



Oct. 27, 1942.

C. E. FLEMING r WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Shqet l /m entons: Clifford E. Fleming Cla ence M Cor/ew Francis L. r

Oct. 27, 1942.

C. E. FLEMING ET WASHING MACHINE I Filed Aug. 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /m en Zora: Clifford F/emzny C/arznce M. Cor/2w Francis L. Orr

Oct. 27, 1942. c. E. FLEMING ET AL WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 28, 1959 In Yen tors Clifford 5. F/emm Atzorn e w m c M m e r M 0 Francis L. 57

Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,300,214 WASHING MACHINE Clifford E. Fleming, Clarence M. Corlew, and Francis L. Orr, Denver, 0010., assignors of onefourth to James OKeeie, Stavely, Alberta, Canada Application August 28,}939, Serial No. 292,284 2 Claims. (01. 68-156) an improved construction and arrangement of elements constituting a washing machine operable to selectively urge wash water through and extract such water from the material to be washed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved washing machine wherein the material to be cleansed is held against agitation and out of contact with relatively-moving mechanical agencies during the cleansing operation.

A' further object of the invention is to provide 7 an improved washing machine susceptible of practical development in a variety of specific embodiments adapted for either power or manual actuation.v

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means in a washing machine operable to repetitiously and oppositely surge cleansing fluid through the material to be cleansed.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means in a washing machine selectively operable to extract cleansing fluid from the material to be cleansed without the necessity for handling such material.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved washing machine that is convenient and compact in form, simple of operation, positive and eflicient in use, and productive of minimum damage to the material cleansed therein.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section taken substantially axially of a preferred embodiment of the invention as arranged for power actuation. Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the indicated line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the indicated line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a fragmentary, detail section taken on the indicated line 44 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a fragmentary, detail section, on an enlarged scale, through and illustrating a typical construction of drain means advantageously employed in the invention. Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 1 taken vertically through an alternative, power-actuated embodiment of the invention. Figure 7 is a top plan view of the showing of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a cross section taken onthe indicated line 88 of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a fragmentary, detail section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the indicated line 99 of Figure 6, Figure 10 is a section similar to Figures land 6 taken vertically through another alternative, powereactuated embodiment of the invention. Figure 11 is a cross section taken on the indicated line of Figure 10. Figure 12 is a cross section taken on the indicated line |2|2 of Figure 10. Figure 13 is a vertical section taken axially through a simplified embodiment of the invention arranged for hand actuation.

In the construction of the improved apparatus as shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the num eral l5 designates a hollow, cylindrical shell or housing, formed of any suitable material in any convenient or desired manner, adapted for axially-vertical disposition, open at its upper end, closed as by means of a bottom plate I6 at its lower end, and provided with a transverse baffle or partition I! sealed to the inner housing surface intermediate the housing ends and inperpendicular relation with the housing axis. The battle I! divides the'housing l5 into upper and lower compartments, the former of which is, for the purposes" of the invention, smoothly cylindn'cal in form, while the lower compartment may be of any specific shape and construction suited to its purpose of housing and supporting power and other elements associated with the washing apparatus proper. Fixed to and centrally of the baflle 1, a smooth, straight, hollow, cylindrical sleeve I8, open at both ends, rises within and in axially-coincident relation with the upper housing compartment to termination of its upper end considerably below the upper end of the housing l5, and a hollow, cylindrical basket l9, open at its upper end, closed at its-lower end by means of a reticulate or foraminous bottom plate 20, and of a size to be received within and slide axially of the upper housing compartment, is formed with a straight, hollow, central stem 2| in fixed relation axially of the said basket and adapted to telescopically receive and slide freely relative to said sleeve I8. The stem 2| has a length exceeding that of the sleeve l8 and is closed at its upper end by means of a removable plug 2| formed with a threaded shoulder adapted to engage intemal threads adjacent the upper end of said stem. The basket I9 is designed to receive and hold against agitation the material to be cleansed, to which end said basket is provided with a vertically-adjustable top closure inthe form of a reticulate or foraminous plate 22 of a size and shape to fit closely but freely within the said basket and formed with a central aperture adapted to receive and slide freely along the stem 2I, said plate 22 being adapted to rest on and be pressed firmly against the material to be cleansed after the latter has been packed in the basket I9, to hold such material against agitation within said basket, and be held against displacement upwardly and axially of said basket by any suitable .means, such as a clamp engaging with the exterior surface of the stem 2|, or a clip-type retainer 23 engagcable in annular notches 24, formed exteriorly and in spaced relation axially along the stem 2|, in bearing relation against the upper surface of said plate.

The upper compartment of the housing I5 is adapted to be charged with the cleansing fluid and the basket I9, charged with the material to be cleansed and with its plate 22 in position to hold such material in place, is then actuated for limited reciprocation axially of said upper housing compartment, downward travel of said basket against and within the cleansing fluid acting to jet the fluid upwardly through the basket plates 20 and 22 and the material packed therebetween, while upward travel of said basket is productive of a suction effect which acts to draw the fluid downwardly through said plates and material,-

the fluid circulation thus established and maintained serving to thoroughly cleanse the material.

Various arrangements of specific means may be provided and employed for power actuation of the basket I9 axially of the upper housing compartment, a convenient arrangement of such means suitable for the purposes of the invention being illustrated. As shown, a pitman 25 is hingedly connected at its upper end to the underside of the plug 2 I closing the upper end of the stem 2I, and depends through the bore of the sleeve I8 and within the lower housing compartment for operative connection of its lower end with an eccentric 26 associated as a driven, power takeofi element with a speed-reducing assembly 21, which latter is in directly-driven relation with a prime mover, such as an electric motor 28, for rotation of the eccentric 26 at an angular velocity much less than that of the prime mover driving element and at a speed suitable for transmission through the pitman 25 for axial reciprocation of the basket I9. While the motor 28 and associated speed-reducer 21 may be fixed directly to the housing bottom plate I6, it is desirable for reasons that will appear hereinafter that provision be made for adjusting altitudinally the operative range of the basket I9 within the upper housing compartment, and this can conveniently be accomplished by mounting the motor 28 and speed-reducer 21 in operative inter-relation on an altitudinally-adjustable platform 29, said platform being arranged to slide vertically on guides 30 rising in fixed relation from the housing bottom plate l6 and being engaged by the inner end of a pedal lever 3| fulcrumed on a bracket rising from said bottom plate and extending without the housing I5 past a detent 32 disposed to latch said lever in limiting, or other, adjusted positions. As will be readily apparent, pressure applied downwardly to the lever 3| exteriorly of the housing I5 acts to elevate the platform 29 and consequently, through the pitman 25, the reciprocatory range of the basket I9 within said housing, while release of such pressure permits return of said lever to the full line position of theelements as shown in Figure 1.

Communicating with the upper housing compartment immediately adjacent the baflle II, manually-operable valve means 33 are disposed for draining of the cleansing fluid from said compartment, the valve means 33 being of check valve type arranged, as by means of a hinged, interior flap 34, to permit outward flow therethrough and automaticallylimit flow in the opposite direction, so that the suction efiect developed during upward travel of the basket I9 may be maintained when the valve 33 is open for draining purposes. Thus, when the valve 33 is permitted to remain open during continued power actuation of the basket I9, there is outward flow of cleansing fluid through said valve during the downward travel of i said basket and a suction effect acting downwardly through the contents of the basket during upward travel of the latter, .such suction effect acting, in due course, to efficiently extract the cleansing fluid from the material being cleansed and obviate the necessity for wringing said material. Similarly, extraction of cleansing fluid from the contents of the basket I3 may be accomplished without opening of the valve 33 and removal of the fluid from the housing compartment, the altitudinal adjustment of the power elements being provided for this purpose. With the liquid level in the upper housing compartment maintained below the lower reciprocatory limit of the basket I9 when the platform 29 is elevated, actuation of said basket with the platform lowered will bring said basket into pressure engagement with the liquid body for cleansing circulation of said liquid through the basket contents, while elevation of the platform will lift the basket out of engagement with the liquid body for the circulation of air through, and consequent extraction of liquid from, the basket contents during continued actuation of said basket. To facilitate efiicient circulation of fluids through the basket I9 and its contents, and to guard against escape of liquid from the housing compartment, the outer wall of the basket should fit closely and smoothly against the inner wall of the housing compartment and a suitable sliding seal, such as a ring gasket 35, should be disposed in engagement between the adjacent surfaces of the sleeve I8 and stem 2I The otherwise unutilized portion of the lower housing compartment may conveniently be arranged to house bins 36 associated therewith in removable, fitted relation and adapted for the storage of materials acted or to be acted upon by the apparatus, as well as for use as containers to receive or store cleansing liquids. The upper end of the housing I5 is normally closed during actuation of the basket I9 by means of a removable cover 31 provided with a check valve 38 arranged to prevent escape of gases and vapors from the upper compartment during upward travel of the basket and to permit ingress of air to said compartment during downward travel of said basket, the latter operative factor assisting in and facilitating extraction of liquid from the basket contents when the valve 33 is open or the platform 29 elevated.

In the alternative or modified embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, the arrangement and operative combination of elements is in all functional respects the substantial equivalent of that hereabove described, although the specific structure of the modification differs somewhat from that of the first-described embodiment. In the figures last above noted, the housing I5 is provided with the baille H, bottom plate l6, check valve 33, bin 36 and cover 31, as previously described, but the sleeve rising centrally from the said baflle is omitted and a packing gland 39 is provided centrally of and beneath the said baflle in surrounding extension with the central hole of the baffie. The basket IQ of the modification has the perforate bottom plate 20, but not the stem 2|, and said basket has a diameter sufliciently less than thatof the housing to leave an annular space between the adjacent basket and housing side walls when the former is centered within the latter, said basket being formed with a depending, annular skirt 40 continuing its side wall below the bottom plate 20 for marginal engagement with the upper surface of the baflie I! to support said basket with its bottom plate 20 in parallel relation with and considerably spaced above the battle, said skirt being formed with marginal ears 4| whereby the basket may be fixed to said baflie concentrically within the housing and with gates or ports 42 opening through said skirt adjacent its lower margin and in spaced relation circumferentially thereof for communication between the annular space between the basket and housing walls and the space between the baflie and basket bottom, said gates 42 having a depth approximately one-half the depending width of the skirt 40.

The space defined by the skirt 4!], bafile I1 and bottom plate 20.constitutes a relatively short cylinder wherein is mounted for axial reciprocation a solid piston 43 provided with an axially-disposed piston rod 44 slidably received through the gland 39, said piston having an axial thickness less than the depth of the gates 42, so that when the piston is at the lower limit of its range of reciprocation, liquid may flow through said gates from the annular space surrounding the basket l9 to fill the space between the upper piston face and the bottom plate 20. The piston rod 44 is hinged at a point below its reciprocatory range within the gland 39, and the lower end of said rod operatively connects with the eccentric 26 of the speed-reducer 21, which is in driven relation with the motor 28, so that power generated by the latter acts to reciprocate the piston to circulate cleansing liquid through the contents of the basket 19 in the manner heretofore described. The power unit in this modification is fixed altitu-dinally, hence may be secured to the bottom plate 16, or to a fixed bracket support 45. In the absence of a central stem within the basket IS, the pressure plate 22 may be provided with a fixed, axial arm 46 which extends upwardly from the center of said plate above the upper margin of the housing 15, is then bent at right angles to project radially beyond said housing, and then terminates in an angularly-related portion disposed in parallel, exterior adjacency with said housing through a guide 47 which supports a manually rotatable gear 48 in meshing relation with teeth constituting a rack-bar 49 on the proximate surface of the depending arm portion, whereby the position and pressure exerted by the plate 22 may conveniently 'be adjusted and regulated.

In the modification shown in Figures 10, 11, and 12, the basket [9 is provided with a central stem 50 rising in fixed relation from the perforate bottom plate 20 to guide and adjustably position the pressure plate 22 in the manner described in connection with Figure 1, and said basket 19 is of less diameter than the housing l and is formed with an exteriorly and radially extending flange 5| on its open upper margin adapted to engage with and. be secured to the upper end of the housing I 5, whereby said basket is fixed in depending, concentric relation within the upper portion of said housing and with its side wall spaced inwardly from the housing wall. The baflle I1 is omitted in this modification, and an open-ended cylinder 52, provided with an imperforate bottom 53, is provided in closely-telescoping, reciprocable relation with and about the depending portion of the basket I 9. The power unit employed in this modification, consisting of the motor 28, speed-reducer 21, and eccentric 26, is supported for altitudinal adjustment on the platform 29 in the manner described in connection with Figure 1, and a pitman 54 operatively connects between the eccentric 26 and a central bracket on the lower side of the cylinderbottom 53 so that rotation of said eccentric acts therethrough to effect reciprocation of the cylinder 52 on and axially of the basket l9, elevation of the power unit being required in this modification to lift the cylinder 52 into liquid-circulating relation with the basket and its contents, while lowering of the power unit results in lowering of the cylinder 52 out of liquid-circulating relation with said basket and into liquid-extracting relation therewith. The check-type drain valve 33 is carried by and for discharge of liquid from the cylinder 52, where it functions in an obvious manner.

The modification shown in Figure 13 is an adaptation of the principles of the invention as developed through manually-operable apparatus. In this construction, the housing l5 and imperforate baflle l1 define an upper, cylindrical compartment wherein the basket I9 is disposed in closely-fitting, axially-reciprocable relation, and wherefrom the cleansing liquid may be drained through the check-type valve 33 communicating through the wall of said housing immediately above the bafiie; The basket I9 is provided with an axial post 55 rising centrally from the bottom plate 20, which post is extended a considerable distance upwardly beyond the upper margin of said basket and is provided with means, such as j the notches 24 engageable by the retainer 23, to adjustably position and hold the pressure plate 22 against the contents of the basket. The upper end of the post 55 extends above the upper end of the housing l5 and is hingedly connected with an actuating arm or lever 56 disposed diametrically across and above the housing I5 and connected at one end by means of a link 51 with a bracket 58 fixed to the upper margin of said housing, so that actuation of the free end of said arm 56 through a vertical arc is productive of corresponding axial reciprocation of the basket l9 within its housing compartment for cleansing circulation of liquid through the basket contents.

As will be obvious, the two methods of adjustably positioning the pressure plate 22 shown and described may be interchanged in the various modifications of the invention within the apparent limitations, and other variations and modifications may be had in the specific form, construction, and arrangement of the elements shown and described without departing from the spirit and operative principle of the invention, hence we wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description.

We claim as our invention: I

1. A washing machine comprising, a compartpressing engagement against the basket con tents, a hollow stem rising axially from the floor of and within said compartment, a sleeve fixed axially of said basket in telescoping, reciprocable relation with said stem, a power unit associated with and beneath said compartment, a pitman operatively connecting through said stem between said power unit and the upper end of said sleeve, whereby said basket may be reciprocated vertically of said compartment into and out of engagement with the liquid therein for repetitious circulation of said liquid in alternately opposite directions through the basket contents, and selectively-operabl means for altitudinally adjusting the position of said power unit to altitudinally vary the reciprocatory range of said basket relative to said compartment.

2. A washing machine comprising, an open-top basket formed with a foraminous bottom and adapted to receive the material to be cleansed; a foraminous top closure for and slidable within said basket, means to adjustably position and hold said top closure in pressing engagement against the material within said basket, a compartment surrounding and associated in relatively reciprocable relation with said basket and adapted to contain cleansing liquid, power means operable to maintain relative reciprocation between said basket and compartment, for the repetitious circulation of cleansing liquid in alternatively opposite directions through said basket bottom, top closure, and the materal therebetween, and selectively-operable means for altitudinally adjusting the position of said power means to altitudinally vary the reciprocatory range between said basket and compartment.

CLIFFORD E. FLEMING. CLARENCE M. CORLEW. FRANCIS L. ORR. 

